Colorful rope light

Abstract

A colorful rope light characterized by colored transparent cladding interposed between a lighted core and an extruded clear cover. The cladding can include selected lengths of tubing, including shrink tubing and longitudinally slit tubing, as well as wrapped strips of transparent colored material. The cladding can also be provided with various color patterns. One or more units of the rope light can each have multiply colored portions, facilitating a wide variety of effects.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A colorful decorative light comprising: 
 (a) a body ( 12 ) having a length of flexible core ( 14 ) provided with mini-bulbs ( 16 ) and wires ( 18 ) electrically connecting to the mini-bulbs;    (b) a substantially transparent outer covering ( 30 ) encasing the body; and    (c) a colorful and transparent cladding ( 20 ) arranged between the body and the outer covering.    
     
     
         2 . The colorful decorative light as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cladding is embodied as a coating of color paint.  
     
     
         3 . The colorful decorative light as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cladding is embodied as colored strip(s) ( 22 ) wound around the body.  
     
     
         4 . The colorful light as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cladding is embodied as a plurality of colored sleeves ( 21 ) mounted around the body.  
     
     
         5 . The colorful light as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one intermediate electrical connector mechanically and electrically connecting respective axially disposed units of the decorative light.  
     
     
         6 . The colorful light as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a front electrical connector ( 50 ) mounted to one end of the decorative light for powering same, and a back plug ( 60 ) mounted to the opposite end of the decorative light.  
     
     
         7 . A colorful rope light comprising a lamp body, a front end connector, and a rear plug, the lamp body having a flexible core, strands of clear light bulbs, a colorless transparent outer coat, and a layer comprising a colored light transmitting material, characterized in that: 
 (a) the core is covered by a colored light transmitting material; and    (b) the transparent outer coat is extruded over the light transmitting material.    
     
     
         8 . The colorful rope light as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the colored light transmitting material of the layer is a plastic.  
     
     
         9 . The colorful rope light as claimed in  claim 8 , further characterized in that the colored light transmitting material of the layer forms longitudinally slit tubing, the tubing having snap engagement over the conductor core, being compressed onto the conductor core by the extruded outer coat.  
     
     
         10 . The colorful rope light as claimed in  claim 8 , further characterized in that the colored light transmitting material of the layer forms heat-shrinkable tubing, the tubing being irradiated for close conformance on the conductor core and being compressed onto the conductor core by the extruded outer coat.  
     
     
         11 . The colorful rope light as claimed in  claim 7 , further characterized in that an electrical plug is molded on one end of the lamp body, and an end plug is molded on the opposite end of the lamp body.  
     
     
         12 . A method for making a colorful rope light comprising: 
 (a) providing a lamp body having a flexible core, and strands of electrically connected clear light bulbs;    (b) covering the body with a colored light transmitting material; and    (c) extruding a transparent outer covering over the colored light transmitting material.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing longitudinally slit tubing for the colored light transmitting material, opening the tubing, laterally displacing the tubing over the body, and closing the tubing onto the body.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing shrinkable tubing for the colored light transmitting material, longitudinally feeding the body into the tubing, and heating the tubing for shrinking the tubing onto the body.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising molding electrical connectors onto opposite ends of the combined lamp body, the colored light transmitting material, and the outer covering.